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Sunday, December 27, 2015

I had
been to Jayamangali Blackbuck Conservation Reserve (third time) with
fellow photographer friend Mr. Sateesh along with Mr. Viraj on 25th
December 2015.

Left
Bangalore by 4-00 am, enroute we had a tea and light breakfast at
Gauribidnur and reached the Jayamangali Reserve by 8-00 am,

Location

This
area is located 23 km to the north east of Madhugiri town (Karnataka)
and about 20 km to the west of Hindupur town (Andhra Pradesh). The
geographical co-ordinates of the forest watch tower inside this area are
13 44’ 20” N and 7 19’ 41” E. It is located 4km away from the
Jayamangali Blackbuck Conservation Reserve.

Maidenahalli Blackbuck Reserve

Jayamangali
(formerly Maidenahalli) Blackbuck Conservation Reserve is Tumkur
District's only notified protected area. It neighbours Maidenahalli, a
small village in Madhugiri Taluk, at the north-eastern tip of Tumkur
district of Karnataka state, India. This area is a part of the plains of
Deccan plateau and borders Anantpur District of Andhra Pradesh. It is a
798-acre (3.23 km2) patch of grassland with Eucalyptus and Acacia
auriculiformis. It has the largest contiguous population of Blackbuck
(Antilope cervicapra) in Karnataka, apart from Ranibennur Blackbuck
Sanctuary.

Brief history

The
open grasslands of peninsular India were once widespread across the
Deccan Plateau. Post- independence, however, they have shrunk to
isolated patches thanks to immense pressure for cultivation, human
habitation and other reasons that also include industrialisation. In
1987, the forest department of Tumakuru Division began protecting the
area when the blackbuck’s presence was brought to their notice. In 1992,
after sustained efforts by the forest department, the jurisdiction of
the area was handed over from the Revenue Department to the Forest
department. The Forest Department then fenced a portion of the area and
raised a nursery. A concrete watchtower was erected along with two wood
houses and watchmen sheds. But, the ownership of the land still rested
with the revenue department.

Tumakuru’s
nature lovers worked hard to have the area granted the status of a
Protected Area, like a wildlife sanctuary. The first ever Status Survey
report on the area was published by Tumakuru-based Wildlife Aware Nature
Club (WANC) in 1997. This helped the wildlife wing of Karnataka Forest
Department to source data on this area and recommend it be declared a
'Conservation Reserve'. The Government of Karnataka accepted this
proposal. In February 2007, vide Government Order No: FEE 342 FWL 05,
798.33 acres (3.2307 km2) of the area was finally notified as
Jayamangali Blackbuck Conservation Reserve, (though the original area
proposed to be included in this Conservation Reserve was 893 acres).
Thus, Tumkur District's first protected area was born.

Shikra (Accipiter badius)

BlackBuck -Female (Antilope cervicapra)

Flora and fauna

More than 80 species of plants have been recorded from this area. Many of these plants have medicinal value.

Butterflies

Sixty-seven
species of butterflies belonging to seven families have been sighted in
the area. Most of the species recorded are common throughout the Indian
Peninsula and some are typical of the arid regions.

Hesaraghatta
Lake is a manmade reservoir located 18 km to the north-west of
Bengaluru in Karnataka state, India. It is a fresh water lake created in
the year 1894 across the Arkavathy River to meet the drinking water
needs of the city. Sir K. Seshadri Iyer, the then Dewan of erstwhile
Mysore state and the then Chief Engineer of Mysuru, M. C. Hutchins,
planned to build the scheme called the “Chamarajendra Water Works” to
store a three-years' water supply to the city

DRONGO -[Scientific Name : Dicruridae]

Flora and Fauna

Even in
the deteriorated condition of the lake, birds such as the kingfisher
(Halcyon smyrnensis), magpie robin (Copsychus saularis), little egrets,
common mynas (Acridotheres tristis), brahminy kites, black drongos,
bulbuls, greater coucals, purple sunbirds, etc., (some are pictured in
the gallery) have been reported in and around the lake periphery.
Documented records of sighting of 2000 water birds of 29 species have
been reported. The lake is also a great place for the winter migrants.
Harriers and spotted eagles have been reported on this lake during
winter. Bird poaching traps, a common sight, are located and removed
from the bed of the lake quite often